CAVE CAVERN LAKE VOLUME 9 NUMBER 5 NOVEMBER 1989 SIMPLIFIED PROFILE PLAN VIEW PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND 1Q89 by Carltne Allred.

Transcription

1 VOLUME 9 NUMBER 5 NOVEMBER CAVERN LAKE CAVE PRNCE OF WALES SLAND ALASKA stream from Cavern Lake PLAN VEW Brunton &Taaa Survey bug., 15,21 by S. Lewis. K. Al l red CMetzler, CASlred TONGASS CAVES PROJECT KEY -slope.streamflow Pa5 *water +organic debris w~ breakdown Q =ce~ling height.distances above 8 and below water level UPPER ENTRANCES 3% NATDNAL SPELE0LM;CAL SOCETY SUMPS -' SMPLFED PROFLE 0 50 L E scale in feet LOWER 1Q89 by Carltne Allred

2 CAVERN LAKE CAVE Prince of Wales sland, Alaska Technical preliminary Report #12 By: Kevin Allred ~escription and speleogenesis Located at the outlet of well known and easily accessible Cavern Lake, Cavern Lake Cave has been formed by the underground flow of Cavern Lake through a low wall of Heceta Limestone. The cave appears to have phreatic bedding plane controlled origin with minor vadose modification. There are two sumped upper entrances, both taking the water flow. The level of Cavern Lake can rise several feet during high runoff and flood the upper en-. trances further than shown on the map. Many logs, m o s t of which appear to have been cut, are crammmed into the deep water of both upper entrances. The lower outlet of the cave is a large wide walk-in entrance issuing forth the creek. The major part of the accessible cave is here and consists of a very large room about 100 by 150 feet with an amazingly low flat ceiling. the room contains a lake of varied depth. Much of the bedrock is covered with scallops. Another low broad passage heads to the North to re-enter the big room with only a couple of inches of air space in dry season. Two side passages feed into the big room from the South. They are above the present high water levels and have been for some time judging from the flowstone deposits there. At the West end of the big room is the stream bearing passage which becomes in excess of 13 feet deep and soon sumps. The sump was free dived and immediatly sumps again after 4 feet. No other explorations were attempted because of lack of experience, equipment and courage. The closest upper entrances sump and lower sump are separated by 40 feet (overland survey by C. Allred, C. Metzles, and S. Lewis). BOLOGY Other than bat activity at the upper entrances at dusk, no other biological life was noted at Cavern Lake Cave. Salmon apparantly do pass through the cave to spawn elsewhere, but none were seen inside during the survey. The closest ones were gathered in a pool just below the lower entrances. n 1987 Bruce Campbell of the Thorne Bay Ranger District: mentioned birds nesting in the cave but none were seen in August. SAFTEY CONSDERATONS Hypothermia and drowning are the greatest threats of Cavern Lake Cave. Although water temperatures can be warmer than cave temperature because of the incoming sun warmed waters of Cavern Lake, a wetsuit is recommended. Reasonable precaution and common sense should protect any visitors from ham. MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATONS f there would not be negative impacts on salmon or birds in the area of the lower entrance, this cave may be suitable for public access via a trail from the adja- cent road. The entrance is beautiful and unique. There is little opportunity for damage to speleothems in the cave and many visitors to the sland ~ould enjoy seeing the entrance to this spectacular cave GRAPHC ARTS SALON The Alaskan Caver received Honorable Mention for our only entry in the 1989 NSS GRAPHC ARTS SALON. t was for Carlene Allred's beautiful drawing, "A Caver Descends into Starlight Cave," which graced our April 1988 issue 8 (6): cover. This contest is limited to photographic and non-photographic entries of NSS Grotto newsletter covers of the previous year. Mention of this award was also made in the September NSS Mews 47(9):219. Congratulations Carlene! We had only one issue of the Caver that year. Next yeas, of course, we will have more to submit for the 1990 contest. The photographic and nonphotographic categories are different and do not compete with each other. More than one entry in each category is allowed, so all covers will again be sent. volume 9 Number 5 sr t n P a mama *1

3 CARL" GOOD CAVERNS and QUCK REDUCER CAVE by Mike Van Note Where stayed in 1979 in a Forest Service camp, called Halfway House (about 1 mile North of Control Lake towards Staney creek, Prince of Wales sland, AK) there were two caves located rather conveniently nearby. The first had been named "carlfs Cavernsfi1 by a local E.S. engineer, Kim Turly, who had visited it. While this cave is small, it is nevertheless interesting. The main entrance is a fairly large opening in a bluff along a good size surface stream (which incidentally sinks into the' bed just upstream of the cave during tldryif weather). The entrance passage is developed along the strike of a relatively thin bed of limestone dipping some 20 degrees ta the NE. Within this passage are some fascinating l~micro-structurelf Grotto Newsletter of February 1982 to be seen along the walls. A page 3. waterfall issueing from a short crawl in the rear of the cave comes as an interesting surprise also. MEMBERS N THE NEWS - Carlenl Nearby, en the same hill, is another cave which named "Quick Reducer" as a result of it "shriveling upti in size (as were my hopes for something a little larger). The entrance is a large pit with a stream issueing from a fissure along one wall. was able to descend this pit by means of a rather rotten and slippery log which was leaning against one wall. Without this log, would have needed a rope to get into the cave. The entrance passage is reasonably impressive with a high lead that might produce more passage. Another short passage connects: to a second pit entrance just before a climbdown which leads to a rather trsportylw crawl ending in a sump. A look at the plan and profile of these two caves will show that there are four (five, if you include the large sometimes 19sub1q surf ace stream) subterranean streams in a small area. There exact relationship to each other is not as obvious as it might seem. t appears that the waterfall stream in Carl's Good Cave is the same which later rises from a sunf to leave the main entrance. On t h other hand, the stream in Quick Reducer is larger than that whick issues from the spring near Carl s Good Cave. t is possible that the main Carl's Good Cave and Quick Reducer streams are one and t h same, the apparent elevation1 dif - Eerence due to a survey error (1 was surveying solo up a very stee hill, and t his would not be out of the question! ). Both of thesf caves are developed in w hat appear= to be a small area a limestone surrounded by altered rocks of a non-karst nature. As this area is quite accessible (you could, ir 1979, drive right to these caves) it might bear a little more investigation. MEMBERS N TEE NEWS - Richard A Hall s 1981 article, 1Newby Cave, ' in the The Alaskan Caver 6(6) :5-6 was mentioned in the Birminqha Allred's article, "Starlight Cavs and El Capitan Cave trip report" i Alaskan aver 8(6) :3-6 bas cited i Current Titles in SweLeolosy Number 21 - the literatures o 1988, a publication of the Britis Cave Research Association., pag 26. MEMBERS N THE HEWS - Kevi Allred s article, '@Rust Creek Cav -- Finallyff in Alaskan Cave 815) :3-7 was cited in Curren Titles in Sweleelosv, Number 21 the literature of 1988, publication of the British Cav Research Association., page 26. MEMBERS N THE NEWS - Marion 0 Smith' s 1987 article, '"h identification of Horner's an Heaton's niter works, Bath County Virginia, " in NSS Bulleti 49(1):15-25 was cited in Curren Titles in SpeLeology, Number 21 the literature of 1988, publication of the British Cav Research Association, page 33. Volume 9 Number 5 November 1989 Page 3

4 7 1?mrr.,m C**j,,,71*., ef ~ m v l ; Gem6 Cau.v-~ Qrith Ra J* crr Z.r, Prrmtr rf iu4lrr ~ard, Alh~Lr i A- C) L~; 6.d L#d,es -Ad 0 - r-u-l Qm;rb R ti* cdr La** J-[ - f c- A - S P- % - D' E- 9 -E' c - - r' $ bar.rr -.a!. K' L- "= *. s-.p e- -u1 w - L3 n ' t- ;,,* a' fi,gn,

5

6 VOLUME 9 THE ALASKAN CAVER NUMBER 5 The Alaskan Cnwr is the intermittent prbllcstian of Glacier Grotto of the Mational Spcleological Society. COWright 1989 by the Glacier Gmttc. Materials not copyright& by individuals or by other groups may k copid by other NSS Pubtications provided crcdit is given to the author a d to The Alaska Cavcr a d a copy of such prblication is scnt to the Editor. Back issues are St.00, unless rrtheruise idicatcd, and arc avaitable from Gtaeier Grotto, 2941 Emory Street, Anchorage, AK , 4J.S.A. Articles, letters to the Editor, news t-, a-emmts, a d so forth send directly to the Editor (see ~ E Q M E. Opjnions expressd within are not necessarily those of The Ataskan mr. the Gtaeier Grotto, or the MSS. H-rshfp is open to at t interested n Ahaskan cave discwcry, cxploratian, descriptjon, survey, mapping, photography, hydrology, mrphalopy, biology, geology, history, speleogentsis and ether spelaean processes, conservation, ma~gmnt, adventures, and the fellowship of Alaskan eawcrs. Dues are 57.51) per year for the first m r of a mailing address and $1-00 for others at that address. Those Living overseas rmst pay S1O.OOAper year ( in Pf.5. fwd$). are dug Jartuhry 1 a& are sznc to the treasurer (see bclou) uith application and ~wwal form. Those paying for the first time ktwctn octobr 1 a d Dumber 31 uill bt considered paid up for the follouing year. The year through which you are paid 1s indicatcd on ywr mailing lakl. Meetings are called to plan and report on trips, or. other speciat events: anyone wanting to haw a meting should notify the President, Vice President or a e t - a t - large. President Vice Pres. Acting Sec. T rcasurtr Mwnb-at Lg. Hcrrb-at Lg. Editor A. Editor MU Reg Rep, Hmrbersh i p *nesaages J. Rockrtl1,Jr Emory S t ~ t David M. Moll PO Ban 8ZOU Jimnicholls POBox654 S m Dunausy A01 Chad St. Tom Haltinan 7617 Uolwrim Dr. Kevin At red PO Box 376 V-Harvey Bowers 305 S &artlett Cr. Curvin netxltr PQ Box Dave K 1 inger W lox 537 Curvin nttzlsr W Box 10D;r38 may k annwnced to Kevin daily via Anchorage, AK Wk Hm Cairbnks, AK Yk Mm Ceer, AK Uk ~ r n Anchorage, RK Uk nm Faitbsnks, 1K W?OP 907-CiPP-745b Wk SL Hm Haims, AK thrwgk KRWS* Uasf L La, AK WM i Uk Hm Anchorage, AT W uk Hm Caavemorth,W Yk U0 Hrn Anchorage, AK Yk Hrn radio station KHNS at ( GLACER -0 29L4 Emry St rect Ancharage, kk LL66 Address Correct i em Rcquesced